By Cam Lucadou-Wells
Liberal MP Inga Peulich has emerged victorious from a three-way pre-selection challenge for her No.2 spot on the party ticket for the 2018 State Election.
Ms Peulich, a sitting South-Eastern Metropolitan Region MP, stared down challenges from former Casey mayor and Mordialloc MP Lorraine Wreford and Casey councillor Damien Rosario.
Mark Barrow withdrew his challenge prior to the pre-selection vote by the party’s executive as well as central and branch delegates on 7 May.
The Liberal Party did not release figures for the final tally.
A source claimed the margin was as high as 57-18 between Ms Peulich and Ms Wreford; another from a different camp claimed there was only 10 votes in it.
Sitting Liberal MP Gordon Rich-Phillips is unopposed on the number one spot on the ticket.
Ms Peulich said she was humbled by the strong support from local and central delegates in the “overwhelming” result.
“Delegates, most of whom would be extremely seasoned party members, were given opportunity to read about, interview and assess candidates on the performance on convention day and meetings and discussions before the convention.
“The negative campaign against me would have been seen for what it was.”
That campaign included a media report published the day before the vote that claimed she employed her relatives at her electorate office, as well as a small protest staged by former Liberal branch members at a delegates’ vote in April.
Ms Peulich said she was rewarded for her strong track record.
“Given my background, having migrated to Australia as a small girl who migrated to Australia from a communist regime, I am indeed privileged to have the opportunity to represent the Liberal Party and to have been re-endorsed by the convention.
“Democracy is a beacon to all those who aspire to better their lives, as it was to my family.”
Ms Peulich has held the seat since 2006 after serving three terms as a state MP for the lower house seat of Bentleigh.
She is the opposition’s spokeswoman for multicultural affairs and scrutiny-of-government.
Liberal state director Simon Frost said Ms Peulich was chosen by the Preselection Convention through a rigorous process.
“The administrative committee will meet shortly to endorse her position as the second candidate on the Liberal Party ticket for the region at the 2018 State Election.”
